Enable and configure versioning for a list or library

When versioning is enabled in site lists and libraries, you can track and manage information as it evolves. You can look at earlier versions and recover them, if necessary. For example, when an earlier version of an item might be more accurate than later ones. Some organizations retain multiple versions of items in their lists for legal reasons or audit purposes.

When you enable and configure versioning, you can retain versions each time an item is edited. You need to decide how many versions you allow, and whether you want all site users to see all draft versions, or only be visible only to the originator and specific people in your organization.

By default, versioning is turned on for SharePoint Server 2016 document library and off for list. To turn it off, you must either have Full Control or Design permissions.

For list items, to specify that versions are tracked, click Create a version each time you edit an item in a list in the Item Version History section.

For files, to specify that only one type of version is tracked, click Create major versions in the Document Version History section.

For files, to specify that both major and minor versions are tracked, click Create major and minor (draft) versions in the Document Version History section.

You can specify how many versions of items or files to keep. Do one of the following in the Item Version History section or Document Version History section:

To specify the number of versions of list items that are stored, select the Keep the following number of versions check box, and then type the number of versions that you want to keep.

To specify the number of major versions of document files that are stored, select the Keep the following number of major versions check box, and then type the number of major versions that you want to keep.

To specify the number of minor document versions to keep, select the Keep drafts for the following number of major versions check box, and then type of the number of major versions that you want to keep drafts (minor versions) for.

Click OK.

Disable versioning on an item in SharePoint 2007

Follow the steps for enabling versioning, but in the Versioning settings dialog, click No versioning.

View, restore, or delete versions in a SharePoint 2007 list or library

Go to the list or library with the item or document for which you want to view history.

click the down arrow next to the document or item you want to view version history, and then click Version History.

In the Version History dialog box, hover your mouse over the date link on an earlier version and click the down arrow to show the menu.

In the menu, you can do the following.

View the current document. This will bring up a dialog where you can edit, restore, or delete, as well as see the current approval status.

From the View dialog, you delete or restore the item, or return to the version history.

Restore the document. This option displays a dialog asking if you want to make it the currently approved document. It will add it as a new version.

Delete the document. This option displays a dialog asking if you're sure you want to send the item to the Recycle Bin.

Unpublish this version shows when you are using approval and publishing on your documents or items.

When you're done, click the X in the upper right corner if the version dialog hasn't closed already.

Other settings that affect versioning

You can configure other settings that affect versioning. In lists or libraries, you can require content to be approved — this setting is sometimes referred to as content moderation. In libraries, you can require files to be checked out, which helps to avoid conflicts over changes and prompts people to enter comments about files when they check them in.

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